Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-22

Their Great Wealth, Their Costly Man.
ssOhas, and Their Many Peculiarities.


From the Chicago Tribune
Forty years ago in Baltimore lived two brothers,
Thomas and William Winans. They were both
railroad engineers and both men Of natural genius,
although far from cultivated or scientific enxi-
! neers They had both made money, and they be-
gan to foresee the future OF railway building in
Russia. About that time the car drew that cele-
brated pencilmark across the map from ST. Peters
burg TO MOSCOW route for projected railroad.
| The story is well known, but is short enough to
| repeat here. After all the engineers had
given their views OF the best practicable
route between the two cities before the car
and the council Of state, Nicholas took up a
| ruler, and. drawing perfectly straight line
| by 1t across the map from st. Petersburg to
MOSCOW, handed 1t to them as the final route
| for the railroad. The Russians had recourse
10 foreign engineers, and the WinanS took up
the work. The road was successfully laid and a
great fortune was secured to them, but 1t was
was complete success. In those days Russian
locomotives burnt wood altogether, and it was
thay al, aiI seventeen years OF experiments tnat
from then on their fortunes began to be colossal.
Thomas had married the daughter OF q Russian
shopkeeper. She died leaving him two children
Ross Wfnans, OF Baltimore, and Celeste, now mar
Tled TO MT. Hutton, young Englishman in the
diplomatic service William had married an Eng
England to enjoy his wealth. Since the time that
he first crossed the ocean on his way to Russia in
country. In both brothers strain of eccentr1cty
early developed itself, and in William 1t took the
form OF nervous dread OF crossing the ocean.
Never did any American become so thoroughly
weaned from his country. He often says that he
would not cross the Atlantic for million pounds
sterling nor Is he even willing that his two sons,
Walter and Louis shall.
MI. Winan's manner OF enjoying his money is at
least unique. He has but one taste, but one apti-
tude, but one employment in the world, and that
is In building models OF steam vessels after original
designs. This propensity in Thomas Winans
good many people thought. he was a little
touched on the subject. He had a conviction that
he could build boat in the shape OF a cigar that
would distance any and everything aflOat and
spent hundreds OF thousands OF dollars in building
them. He launched several, and they always
turned bottom upward soon as they touched
water, which was exactly what all scientific men
predicted But old Thomas was blum, rich, deter
mined and not possessed OF any scientific prin-
c1pieS TO trouble him, so he rode his hobby up to
the day OF his death, although he became very
sensitive about it. He was devoted to seeing lydia
Thompson in the heyday OF her charms, but the
wicked Lydia always introduced q cOuplet into
her songs referring to the wonderful cigar boat at
which he would get up in great wrath and quit
the theater.
William, seeing how his brother became sport
for the scientists, has kept his experiments as
much In the dark as possible, but he continues as
work every day on this queer model, although his
income, according to his own Acknowledgement is
between 100000 and 5000, 600 yearly. This
gigantic sum, which makes him, next to the
Rothschilds and the Duke Of Westminster the
richest man In England, he spends freely but
neither he nor his family have any way OF spend
Ing all this vast amount. His hOusein KenstngtOn
Palace Garden Is extremely handsome. noble
carriage drive leads up to the door the engineer
prince. The entrance hall is lofty, and the two
vast drawing rooms are superb charming effect
Is produced by vast sheet OF plate glass Separat
giving communication between the two The car
pet once laid there had history. A magnificent
one was designed and woven at Administer ex-
preSsly for the main drawing room. After 1t was
laid Mr.. WinanS did not like 1t, he had another
one made. When the second one came the cues
ton was what to do with the first. Mr.. Winans
thought moment or two.
'JuSt put 1t down over the first he said as II
struck with sudden solution.
So No. =, which had cost hundreds of pounds
was put down with No. 1, which had also cost
hundreds OF pounds, for lining; and Mr.. Wtnans
had the most expensive floor covering in London.
Mrs. WinanS is an excellent and unpretending
woman who cares but little for society," She prefers
her home at Brighton to either the London house
OF the scotch shooting box as they call their In
year. At Brighton Mrs. W1nans has established a
school where sixteen girls are educated and pro-
Them and after leaving the school she starts them
in life, and does not lose sight OF them
Mr. Winans, too, likes Brighton best, and is
always more or less bored in London. They do
not entertain a great deal, but during the season
give few dinners and one or two crush entertain
ments. favOr1te method OF entertaining with them
Is TO have morning concerts at which they have
Patti and Nilsson, and Albani, and all the highest
priced song birds 10 MARBLE. Mr.. Winans PROCESSES
At her first appearance at st. Petersburg he paid
81 COO for the first choice of boxes at which a
Frenchnan remarked that Mr. W1nans might have
gone TO Paris and back and heard Patti sing a
dozen times for that sum-
The Two Sous Of Vim. Winans are both well ex5,,-
Gated and sensible young men, but dtsttnctivefy
un-American, as the case would Inevitably be
The elder, Walter, married in opposition to his
fathers wishes, whO although refusing to be pres
ent at the ceremony, has long since forgiven the
young couple. Mr.. Winans had social ainbitto0a
and wanted his children to marry into titled famf
ness Bu. tne young men, who care more for pic
declined TO Obdge him. The deer forest which has
50 particularly exasperated the English press
against him, is certainly conducted indefensible
principles 1t Is next to Lord LOyats the most ex-
tenSive and the cOStlteSt deer forest in Scotland
Besides the regular establishment sixty "gfll1es,"
or deer StafkerS are required during the season
Mr.. Winans is no sportsman, and the way the
enormous deer batteaus are conducted has
of titled marauders who come nom Eneaan 70 e4s
terminate the large game OF the northwest Mr.
Winans has occasionally been persuaded to stand.
gun In hand, Tor rev hours In order TO take shot
at the numerous deer thai are driven by: but
some years he does not even go near Inverness
shire. He also follows the English custom so
amazing TO Americans OF selling his game and
every week In the season immense hampers are
shipped 70 market from his place. Although in
the heart OF the Scotch Highlands everything that
can add TO the luxury Of nving-the daintiest
fruits, the newest books and pictures ANYTHING
and everything that heart can desire and money
can buy-are brought up from London every day
Mr.. Winans does not await the railways convent,
ence; when he gets ready to go or come he orders
a special train, like the queen
He Is very unpopular among his neighbors-nor
indeed, Is popularity characteristic OF the elder
Winans. Apart from engineering and shipbu1lding
Ii is very hard to interest him in anything he
processes TO be more entertained by the Circus
next TO PATHS singing, than any other form ~
amusement. 1t Is told OF him that once In Russia an
American manager brought circus company to ST
Petersburg and, hearing OF Mr.. WinanS' rOndneSs
for the art OF the SawduSt ring, went to him and
suggested that he should shell OUT sllch n very
Indignantly IL he was expected to pay for the whole
performance.
.'well, haven't the slightest objection. - an
swered the man OF brass.
Mr.. Winans was so tickled at his tnefrable i'm.
pudence that he bought the whole house The
night OF the performance he presented himself
with friend or two, and sat out the whole thing
to the delight and amusement OF the circus DeonIe'
whom he made 10 answer his encOreS and do inst
as II thousand people were present. instead of
two or three. ~
The only sister Of the Winans brothers married.
Mr.. Whistler, near relative of the artist whist
Ter. Her two daughters were brought mn with her
The death OF Ross Winans young wife about ten
years ago, Neva Whistler, the younger danvhter
married her COUSIN Ross NeVa was horn nj St
Petersburg, and named for the nver Neya They
have lately built magnificent house In Balti-
more, ON St PAU street, which is one OF the show
houses OF the town They had bat one child,
baby g1rl, that died Of smallpox two or three
years ago The child was taken i'll at their conn
try place near Baltimore and when the doctor
pronounced IL smallpox both the father and
mother LEFT 1t. They paid one OF the best doctors
In Baltimore 81 600 70 take complete charge OF the
case He went out, took capable nurse and de-
voted himself 70 IL, but the poor child died I'm few
Money pnf